Car seal



H. D. SMART June 17 r, 1924.

CAR SEAL Filed Feb. 2,7. 1923 pel'. -Smfm @g1g Ad42. Mam/1,

Patented June 17, 1924,

UNITED STATES HERBERT D. SMART, or NASHUA., NEW HAMPSHIRE.

CAR SEAL.

Application inea February 27, 1923. serial No. 621,54o.`

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I,.HERBERT D. SMART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of 1New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Seals, of which the following is a speci- My invention relates to improvements in car seals.

An important object of the invention is to provide a seal of the above mentioned' acter, which is extremely easy and quick to operate.

Other objects and advantages of theinvention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the, accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a strip of metal, for forming the strap element,

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the same,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the keeper-element,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5 5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the seal, prior to the insertion of the tongue or free end of the strap element within the keeper, and,

Figure 7 is a similar View, showing the tongue in the inner locked position.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 ydesignates a stra element, which is preferably formed o a strip of metal. This strap element is bentl transversely upon itself at 11, for producing' upper over-hanging 4clined walls 15.

with a lower or bottom portion 13, as shown.

The upper over-hanging portion 12 is pro` vided with a `pair of koutwardly bulging `chambers or pockets 14, stamped therefrom,

forming inclined shoulders 15.

The lower or bottom portion 15 is provided with an outwardly inclined tongue 16, stamped therefrom, which affords an opening 17, as shown. This tongue is adapted to interlock 4with a downwardly inclined tongue 18, stamped from the upper portion 10 of the strap elementlO, and` providing an opening 19. The tongue 16 projects through the opening 19 and the tongue 18 throughthe opening 17, when the parts are in the'interlocked engagement.

The device further embodies a keeper or casing 20, which may be formed of a single strip of sheet metal bent upon itself, into upper andlower portions 21 and 22. The edges of the upper portion 21 are bent outwardly horizontally, forming horizontal {ianges 23, Figure 5, about which are bent `or crimped receiving Hanges 24,v formed upon the bottom portion 22. lVhile it is pref ferred to construct the casingror keeper in this manner, the invention is not necessarily restricted to this procedure. "The langes 23 and 24 may be soldered or otherwise secured together, if desired, or the casing` may be 'formed in an integral construction. The upper portion 21 is provided with outwardly projecting pockets 25, stamped there-` in, for receiving the pockets 14, providing inclined walls 27., which engage with the in-r strap element is inserted into the keeper or casing prior to the insertion of the opposite end of the strap therein, or even before the anges 24 are finally crimped or clamped The yforward end of thek into locking engagement with the flanges y 23. The tongue 16 projects upwardly into one of the pockets 14, while the tongue 18 will project downwardly into a pocket 28, p

stamped or formed in the bottom portion 22 of the keeper.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 7, the free end of the strap element has been insorted within the keeper 20 and. its tongue j 18 engages behind the tongue 16. The :free end of the'strap element is therefore securely locked against longitudinal movement in an outwardly direction with respect to the lower portion of the strap elementi Should it be attempted to pull the entire strap ele= ment from within the keeper or casing, the engaging inclinedfaces lf and 27 positively prevent it, and 1n addition, serve to `clamp the ends of the strap element together, also.

preventing relative movement of the free end of the strap element, thereby taking some of the pull off of the interlocking tongues, which might be straightened out, in the absence of this clamping action.

It isto be understood that the form of my invention. herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape,

with an inclined locking tongue having co-v actin with the first named locking tongue,

land' a casing receiving the bentend of the strap; element and having outwardly bulging pockets to receive the pockets upon the upper overhanging portion, the pockets upon the casing having both ends closed by inclined shoulders, whereby the overlapping portions of the strap element are clamped together upon the attempted withdrawal movement of thel strap element from the casing.

2. A car seal of the character described, comprising a strap element bent upon itself near one end forming a lower portion and an upper over-hanging portion, said lower portion carrying a locking tongue, said upper portion being provided with an outwardly and coacts with the lirst named inclined shoulder, whereby the overlapping portions of the strap element are clamped together upon the attempted withdrawal movement ot the strap element from the casing.

3. A car-seal ott-he character described, comprising a strap element bent upon itself near one end forming oppositely arranged over-lapping portions, one portion having a locking tongue and the other portion being provided with an inclined shoulder, said strap element being provided near its free end with a coacting locking tongue, and a casing for receiving the bent end of the strap and having an inclined shoulder 'for coaction with the first named shoulder, said inclined shoulders serving to clamp the overlapping portions of the strap element together, upon the attempted withdrawal movement of the strap element `from the casing. i

A car seal of the character described, comprising a strap element bent upon itself, near one end providing over-lapping'A portions, one portion having a locking tongue and the other portion having an inclined shoulder, said strap being provided near its tree end with a coacting locking tongue, and a casing receiving the bent end of the strap and having an inclined shoulder to coact with the iirst named inclined shoulder, said casing embodying a strip bent transversely upon itself forming oppositely arranged portions which are secured together at their edges.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERBERT D. SMART. 

